News

A fifth deployment of NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES) personnel will leave Australia for Canada on Friday (4 August) to assist local firefighters battling wildfires burning through Alberta and British Columbia.

Among them is Bathurst volunteer Andrew Fletcher, who is returning for his second deployment to the wildfire emergency.

Mr Fletcher, who only returned from Canada in early July, joins fellow Bathurst volunteer Zeak Smith and NSW SES staff member Karen Cho from Dubbo.

Mr Fletcher said he was looking forward to lending further assistance to our Canadian counterparts as a finance officer. 

Photo: NSW SES Bathurst Unit volunteers Andrew Taylor and Zeak Smith will leave for Canada on Friday. 

“They need more resources and people on the ground. So, if my contribution helps them in some way, I'm happy to do it,” he said.

“I'm also looking forward to assisting the volunteers coming over with me. I can help show them the ropes and get everybody settled in and productive very quickly.”

Karen Cho is an Operational Readiness Officer at the Western Zone NSW SES Headquarters in Dubbo, as well as a volunteer. She said the Canada deployment was an exciting career development opportunity.

“It's been really rewarding to not just give back to my local communities, but also communities across the state and now internationally,” she said.

Photo: NSW SES staff member, and volunteer, Karen Cho from Dubbo is joining the fifth deployment to Canada as a facilities unit leader. 

Zeak Smith is the Unit Commander at Bathurst and said the deployment showed the value of the skills he’s developed at the NSW SES. In Canada, he'll be working as a supply unit leader. 

“There are a lot of support roles and skills that go into managing a big event like this. The transferable skills learnt during NSW SES training, and from my day-to-day work lives, will assist greatly,” he said.

The wildfires have been burning since early March and have now burned through more than 12 million hectares.

NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York APM said the continuing requests for assistance from Canadian authorities shows the value of NSW SES operational skills in international emergencies.

“I’m proud the skills we’ve developed at the NSW SES are proving useful in the ongoing wildfires emergency in Canada,” Commissioner York said.

“At the same time, our volunteers and staff are returning from deployment with skills and knowledge that improves our capability here in New South Wales.”

The fifth deployment of NSW SES staff and volunteers will last for approximately five weeks, returning in early September. 

Seventeen NSW SES volunteers and staff have now served in Canada.